[17] OPERATIONS OF SCHOONER GRAMPUS. 507 



The weather was threatening the latter part of the afternoon, with a 

 low barometer. We therefore got under way at G.40 p. m. to run for 

 Mingan Harbor, and less than a half hour later picked up the dory with 

 Palmer and Baxter. There was a brisk breeze when we started, but 

 when we were about a mile distant from the entrance to Mingan Harbor 

 the wind suddenly tell away to a calm, so that we were compelled to 

 anchor and lay there for the night. 



On the following day the weather was threatening and rainy. We 

 got under way at 6 a. m., and ran into Mingan Harbor, where we were 

 detained by unfavorable weather until the 20th. 



Collecting parties went out every day, and repeated attempts were 

 also made to obtain enough bait to enable us to set our trawl-lines for 

 halibut. There were, however, practically no squid at Mingan, and 

 capelin, which had been abundant before our arrival, were exceedingly 

 scarce and difficult to catch. The surf on the beach, resulting from 

 fresh winds, made it specially difficult to catch capelin, which otherwise 

 might have been taken in small quantities. By hard work we succeeded 

 in getting enough to bait 1,000 halibut hooks on the afternoon of the 

 18th, on which occasion the gear was put in order to set as soon as the 

 weather permitted us to leave the harbor. 



We got under way at 4.25 a. in., on the 20th, with a gentle breeze from 

 the west-northwest, and started for the halibut grounds outside of the 

 group of islands. The wind increased very rapidly, however, and by 

 the time we reached the fishing-grounds it blew fresh, with a choppy 

 and rough sea ; the swift current caused the water to break and tumble 

 in heavy rips that were dangerous for small boats to go into. When 

 we stood out of the passage-way between Birch and Mingan Islands, 

 .finding it too rough to attempt trawl-line fishing, we hove-to for awhile 

 on the port tack waiting to see if the wind and sea would moderate. 

 There were no indications, however, that there would be any decrease 

 in the wind, and since our bait was already in a poor condition and it 

 would be unfit for use on the following day, I concluded to abandon 

 the idea of setting the trawl-lines for halibut, more especially as there 

 was small probability of getting another supply of bait. It was there- 

 fore determined to run to Perce, where it had been decided to make 

 a brief stop. Accordingly we stood across for Anticosti Island. We 

 had rather a hard beat against a strong wind and choppy sea, but at 

 3.18 p. m. we passed the western point of Anticosti and steered for Cape 

 Rosier. m 



A little before 7 a. m. on the 21st we hove-to and tried for mackerel 

 in a depth of 50 fathoms, Cape Gaspe bearing north and Bonaventura 

 Island west- northwest. Cod hand-lines baited with capelin were put 

 out; no fish were caught. After lying-to for an hour we kept off for 

 Bonaventura Island. We arrived off the southeast end of the island at 

 9.15 a. m., and lay to with head-sails to windward, while Messrs. Palmer 

 and Lucas, with two seamen, left the vessel in a dory to investigate 



